Copy holder



Dec. 26, 1961 MAURICE J. CREGAN EIAL 3,014,458

COPY HOLDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 25, 1959 Maurice J. Cregan Hiroyuki Kubafa INVENTORS Deb. 26, 1961 MAURICE J. CREGAN ETAL COPY HOLDER 2 SheetsSheet 2 Filed March 25, 1959 Maurice J. Cregdfl Hiroyu/ri Kubofa 1N VEN TOR$ United States Patent 3,014,458 COPY HOLDER Maurice J. Cregan, Tokyo, Japan The Chase Mauhattan Bank Military Banking Facility, APO 994, San

Francisco, Calif.), and Hiroyuki Kuhota, 79 Z-Chome Egota, Tokyo, Japan Filed Mar. 25, 1959, Ser. No. 801,924 1 Claim. (Cl. 120-33) This invention relates to improvements in copy holders for use by typists and the like in copying sheets of printed or typewritten manuscript, especially, although, as will presently be seen, it is also adapted for holding stenographers notebooks and the like for copying therefrom. The primary object of the invention is to provide a copy holder for the above purposes embodying means movable transversely over the lines on a copy sheet to simulate underscoring of a selected plurality of successive lines distinctively each from the other, whereby to facilitate copying from the sheet without skipping a line or lines.

Another object is to provide in a copy holder means for simulating underscoring of successive lines in different colors to distinguish the lines from each other for copying successively.

Still another object is to provide in conjunction with the above, magnifying means movable over the lines of copy together with or without the underscore simulating means to provide for easy reading of blurred or otherwise unclear lines and for another purpose presently apparent.

Yet another object is to provide a copy holder in accordance with the foregoing including means for supporting copy in upright position and at an angle in which the copy is readily readable by a copyist and which is foldable into flat compact position, simple in construction, ornamental, comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, and-light in weight. 1

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more-fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

-FIGURE 1 is a view in side elevation partly in broken lines of the improved copy holder in a preferred embodiment thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a view in front elevation of the same; FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view'in rear elevation; FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in front elevation;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section taken on theline 66 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view in front elevation of the means for simulating underscoring of the lines;

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view in vertical section taken on the line 88 of FIGURE 2. I

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the copy holder of this invention, in the preferred embodiment shown, is of the easel .type embodying an elongated rectangular backing plate 1, having an upper end .3 provided with a pair of elongated spaced apart front corner stop bars 5 .for engagement by the upper edge of a copy sheet, not

shown, to square the sheet on the front of the backing plate.

A conventional clamp 7 is provided on said upper end 3 between the stop bars 5 for clamping and suspending a copy sheet on and in front of the backing plate. 1. The clamp'7, as shown, comprises an attaching plate 9 secured to the backing plate 1 flush therewith by rivets 11,

ice

a barrel 12 on said attaching plate 9 at the upper end 3 of the backing plate 1, and a rectangular clamping bail 13 suitably rotatably journaled in the barrel 12 and spring tensioned therein in any conventional manner to releasably clamp the top edge of a copy sheet on said backing plate.

Transverse, parallel score lines 15 are provided on the backing plate 1 adjacent its upper end 3 for squaring sheets on the backing plate by registering with headings or the like, on copy sheets in case the lines on a copy sheet are not parallel with the top edge or end 3 of the sheets.

The backing plate 1 is mounted, by means presently described, on a rectangular fiat base plate 17 for tilting into vertical or other positions in which it is variably inclined in upright position rearwardly at different angles most convenient to a copyist for reading a copy sheet clamped to said backing plate 1.

The means for mounting the backing plate 1 on the base plate 17 for such tilting adjustment comprise an upstanding elongated fiange 19 on the base plate 17 extending longitudinally of and spaced from the front edge of said base plate 17 with a longitudinal slot 21 therein, a lug 23 on the back of the backing plate 1 spaced above the lower end 25 of said plate 1, a link 27 terminally pivoted by a bolt 29 at one end to said lug 23 and having its other end pivoted by a bolt 31 slidable in the slot 21, and a top front fulcrum bar 32 on said base plate 17 for engagement with the lower end 25 of the backing plate 1.

Nuts 28, 30 on the bolts 29, 31 provide for tightening the bolts to hold the backing plate 1 in different adjusted tilted positions.

As will be seen from FIGURE 1, the means for mounting the backing plate 1 on the base plate 17 is such that the lower end 25 .of the backing plate 1 may be engaged with and fulcrumed against the bar 32 and the backing plate swung about the bolt 29 to tilt said backingplate and the copy thereon into vertical position shown in full lines, or into rearwardly tilted positions, such as that shown in broken lines, and the link 27 will swing on the bolt 31 which will slide 'in' the slot 21 whereby to compensate for tilting adjustment of the backing plate 1 so that said link 27 props the backing plate in adjusted and tilted positions. Also, as will be seen, the backing plate may be lifted free of the bar 32 and swung on the bolt 29 with the link 27 swung downwardly on the bolt 31 to adjust the backing plate 1 into a folded position, not shown, parallel with the base plate 17 so that the backing plate 1 and base plate 17. may be compactly folded. The nuts 28, 30 provide for tightening the bolts 29, 31 to hold the backing plate 1 and the base plate 17 in folded position.

The means for simulating underscoring comprises an elongated'transparent, rectangular panel 33 provided with a plurality, four being shown, of differently colored longitudinal lines 35, 37, 39, 41 thereon spaced apart in correspondence with printed or typed lines on a copy sheet, the lines 35, 37, 39, 41 being colored in this instance black, green, yellow and red, respectively, with the line 35 constituting atop line adjacent a top edge 43 of the panel 33.

A carriage 45 is provided for supporting and moving the I panel 33 in front of and spaced slightly from the backing for adjustment of the carriage upwardly and downward- 1y on the backing plate 1 and relative to a copy sheet on said'backing plate. The boxes 47 are provided in front of the backing plate 1 and above the crossbar 49 with a pair of slots 53 in their facing sides which confront each other and open upwardly and are parallel with the backing plate 1, and said boxes are also provided with a similar pair of slots 55 in front of the slots 53. The panel 33 slidably and removably fits downwardly at its ends in the slots 53 to extend across the backing plate 1 longitudinally and so that the lines 35, 37, 39, 41 are parallel with lines on a copy sheet squared and clamped to the backing plate 1.

Manually operated means is provided for moving the carriage 45 upwardly or downwardly on the backing plate 1 to correspondingly move the panel 33 and which com prises the following. An operating shaft 57 extends longitudinally through the boxes 47 and crossbar 49 transversely of the backing plate 1 and is journaled in said bar 49. A pair of gear wheels 59, or pinions, are fixed on the shaft 57 within the boxes 47 each by a crosspin, as at 61, extending through the shaft 57 and through a diametrical slot 63 in a. hub 65 on the gear wheel. The gear wheels 59 mesh with a pair of toothed racks 67 formed in opposite side edges of the backing plate 1 and said racks 67 are suitably extended through the boxes 47 for meshing of said gear wheels 59, or pinions, therewith.

A pair of knurled handwheels 69 are suitably removably fixed on the ends of the shaft 57 respectively, outwardly of and at opposite sides of the backing plate 1, each wheel being secured between a pair of clamping nuts 71, 73 on the shaft 57. As will be seen, by operation of either handwheel 69, the carriage may be moved upwardly or downwardly of the backing plate 1 into different adjusted positions.

Friction brake means is associated with each gear wheel 59 to frictionally lock the carriage 45 in adjusted positions, as best shown in FIGURE 8, each friction brake means comprising an upstanding leaf spring 75 engaging the hub 65 of the associated gear wheel 59 with one end of said spring 75 anchored in a slot 77 in the associated box 47 and the other end of the spring extending into said box and yieldingly releasably engaging the associated hub 65. A plunger 79 is provided in the back of each box '47 for releasing the spring 75 associated with the gear wheel 59 in the box 47, the plunger 79 being slidable forwardly against the spring 75 to release said spring. Each plunger 79 is slidable through a bore 81 in the box 47 and provided with a diametrical lug 83 within the box 47 to prevent it from sliding out of said box.

The use and operation of the invention will, it is believed, be understood from the foregoing. However, it

may be .further explained that with a copy sheet clamped to the backing plate 1 and the backing plate 1 tilted into the desired upright or angular position, the carriage 45 may be moved or adjusted upwardly or downwardly by operation of either handwheel 69 to correspondingly adjust the panel 33 so that a selected number of successive lines may be viewed through the panel 33 with the lines 35 to 41 simulating differently colored underscoring in the selected plurality of successive lines, and whereby a typist may copy such lines without being liable to skip a line or lines of the copy. The springs 75 will hold the carriage 45 and the panel 33 in adjusted position. By releasing the springs 75 the carriage may be easily adjusted. Thus a copyist may start at the .head of a copy sheet, or elsewhere and adjust the carriage 45 downwardly so that the panel 33 with the lines thereon may be successively positioned in front of selected successive lines of the copy sheet for viewing through the panel 33 with the selected lines apparently underscored and in a manner definitely distinguishing each from the other. Of course, it will be understood, that the lines 35 to 41 on the panel 33 may be spaced apart according to printed or typewritten lines depending on which are to be copied and they may also be spaced apart for copying from a stenographers notebook, not shown, clamped to the backing plate 1. It is to be noted that the top edge 43 of the panel 33 is spaced from the top line 35 to provide a rule for finding lines on a copy sheet and may be used in conjunction with the lines 35 to 41 for differentiating from each other lines of the copy.

A magnifying bar 87 is provided to removably fit at its ends in either of the pairs of slots 53, for clear vision of blurred lines on a copy sheet. The magnifying bar 87 may be carried on the carriage 45 in the front pair of slots 55 below the last line 41 on the panel 33 and in front of said panel for magnifying a line below the bottom line in which underscoring is simulated or, the panel 33 may be removed and the magnifying bar positioned in the rear pair of slots 53, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 for use without the panel 33.

All of the parts of the described holder, except the shaft 57, bolts 23, 31, nuts 28, 30 and 71, 73 may be inexpensively formed of plastic colored for ornamental purposes and to blend with the furnishings in a room or office.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the .invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

In a copy holder, the combination of a backing plate, means provided on said backing plate for holding a copy sheet thereon, a pair of toothed racks provided at opposite side edges of said plate, a carriage extending transversely of and movable longitudinally on the backing plate, said carriage including a pair of boxes slidable along side edge portions of the plate over said racks, a crossbar extending transversely of the backing plate and rigidly connecting said boxes together, a shaft rotatably journalled in said crossbar, pinions secured to said shaft in said boxes and operatively engaging said racks, means for imparting rotation to the shaft, friction brake means for resisting rotation of the shaft, and copy line viewing means carried by and extending transversely of said carriage, said friction brake means comprising a pair of leaf springs provided in said boxes and frictionally engaging said pinions, together with manually depressible plungers slidably mounted in said boxes and engaging said springs for disengaging the latter from the pinions when the plungers are depressed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 75,821 Young Mar. .24, 1868 284,228 Pickering Sept. 4, 1883 1,033,288 Stavens July 23, 1912 1,330,637 Stauder Feb. 10, 1920 1,658,499 Stevens Feb. 7, 1928 1,990,103 Van .Alstyne Feb. 5, 1935 2,193,028 Hopkins Mar. '12, 1940 

